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Meticulous Custom Shop LP Special Reissue





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Flaunting its bright “TV Yellow” finish on the black-and-white television screens of the 1950s, the Gibson Les Paul Special was the mighty mite of Gibson’s late-’50s guitar lineup. The lean, mean, stripped-down solidbody electric immediately found favor with professional guitarists who appreciated its light weight, no-nonsense styling, smooth playability, and brawny sonic muscle ? which was to be heard on countless iconic recordings over the ensuing decades. The Gibson Custom 1957 Les Paul Special Single Cut Reissue Ultra-Light Aged celebrates those coveted originals with a gorgeous re-creation, handcrafted by Gibson’s Custom Shop luthiers with fastidious attention to prototypical detail, top-shelf tonewoods, and a scrumptious Murphy Lab-aged finish that gives you the look and feel of a cherished vintage treasure.





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Venerable stage and studio workhorse





In the Gibson Custom 1957 Les Paul Special Single Cut Reissue Ultra-Light Aged, no detail has been spared. From the supremely confident grip afforded by its chunky “C”-profile neck and fleet fingering offered by its hide-glue fit Indian rosewood fingerboard to the legendary fat, snarling tone that gushes from its dynamic duo of Custom Shop P-90 pickups, this guitar is truly “special.” Historically, the LP Special has been a venerable cross-genre workhorse for the stage and the studio. Its lighter weight means you can play marathon sets in comfort, while its relative lack of adornment makes it a reliable axe you can always depend on to ace the gig.





Serial 732155


Serial 732155


Artfully aged in Gibson Custom Shop’s Murphy Lab





Under the leadership of Master Artisan Tom Murphy, Gibson Custom Shop’s Murphy Lab performs one specific function: to craft artfully aged instruments using the most cutting-edge tools available. These guitars are targeted to one of four distinct levels of age and wear, ranging from Ultra-Light to Ultra-Heavy. This 1957 Les Paul Special Reissue features Ultra-Light aging, with unique lacquer checking but minimal playing wear. It’s as if the guitar spent most of its life in its case. VOS patina hardware puts the final touch on this exquisite instrument.





The P-90: dare to sound different





This Gibson Custom ’57 Les Paul Special Reissue is fitted with a pair Gibson Custom Shop P-90 pickups. We have many fiercely loyal P-90 fans here at Sweetwater. These guitarists know that the P-90 offers a unique tonal palette that is distinct from ? and complements ? humbuckers and traditional single-coils. One of the first first successful single-coil pickups, the P-90 can be heard on countless iconic recordings. With its biting treble and high output, the P-90 cleans up nicely when you roll back your guitar’s volume pot. It’s an amazingly versatile pickup with its own brand of grit ? a bit brighter, leaner, and less refined than a humbucker, and almost as hot. Hit your amp hard, and the P-90 really wails. Plugged into a proper high-gain tube amp, you can elicit grind, sizzle, bark, and bite that would be impossible with humbuckers ? or with other single-coils, for that matter.





Serial 732155


Serial 732155


Handcrafted by Gibson’s elite luthiers





Painstakingly handcrafted by Gibson’s elite luthiers in the company’s Nashville Custom Shop using only the finest materials, the 1957 Les Paul Special Reissue ? like every Gibson Custom guitar ? is optimized for playability before leaving the factory. The fingerboard is polished and beveled with rolled edges, then given the Plek Pro treatment. Plek Pro is a state-of-the-art, computer-guided process that analyzes neck relief and the height of the nut and bridge. The machine then scans, levels, and dresses your guitar’s frets to a microscopic level of accuracy for perfect intonation and ideal action with no fret buzz, loss of sustain, or fretting out when bending strings. This guitar’s Plek’d frets ensure that every note in every position rings true and clear with unblemished tone.





Gibson Custom 1957 Les Paul Special Single Cut Reissue Ultra-Light Aged Electric Guitar Features:


Superb Murphy Lab Ultra-Light Aged finish and VOS patina nickel-plated hardware


Prototypical fine details and hide-glue fit construction


1-piece solid mahogany body


Solid mahogany neck, chunky “C” profile


Indian rosewood fingerboard, celluloid dot inlays


2 Custom Soapbar P-90 single-coil pickups


3-way toggle switch; 2 volume, 2 tone controls; CTS audio taper pots and paper-in-oil capacitors


Kluson Strip tuners with white buttons


Handcrafted in Gibson’s Nashville Custom Shop


Hardshell case included